Publication year
2000
Citation Title
Spouse abuse recidivism in the U.S. Army by gender and military status.
Journal Name
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Journal Volume
68
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
521-525
DOI
10.1037/0022-006x.3.521
Summary
It is important to understand what factors contribute to recurrent spouse abuse. By analyzing data from the U.S. Army Central Registry, the study examined elements that were associated with spouse abuse recidivism in military families. Results revealed that gender and military status (Active Duty or military spouse) were the two most important factors that may contribute to spouse abuse recidivism.
Key Findings
In general, men were more likely than women to perpetrate spouse abuse repeatedly.
Military spouses were more likely to perpetrate spouse abuse repeatedly than Active Duty Service members probably because different from the Service members, the spouses did not need to be afraid of adverse consequences (e.g., loss of benefits) of spouse abuse.
For all participants, spouse abuse recidivism peaked at two months after the first incident and declined gradually until the end of the study period (70 months after the first incident).
Implications for Program Leaders
Design workshops for Service members focusing on preventing spouse abuse and increasing marital satisfaction
Offer support groups for Service members and military spouses who suffer from spouse abuse
Work closely with Service members and military spouses who had a history of spouse abuse to prevent recidivism
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend trainings for all professionals working with military families about how to support military family members who are suffering from spouse abuse
Continue to support military family education programs that aim to prevent spouse abuse
Develop awareness campaigns around the importance of supporting military families’ well-being
Methods
Data were drawn from the records of offenders in the U.S. Army Central Registry between fiscal years 1989 and 1997.
The time between the first and second incidents of spousal abuse was recorded and termed “the first recurrence of abuse.”
Data were analyzed to examine how gender and military status influence spouse abuse recidivism.
Participants
Participants were 34,690 Active Duty Soldiers and 13,640 military spouses who were spouse abuse offenders.
The average age of the participants was 27.04 years (SD = 5.52) and 71% of them were male.
Most of the participants were Black (51%), followed by White (38%); the race/ethnicity of the rest of the sample was not indicated in the article.
Limitations
A high number of spouse abuse incidents are not reported; therefore, the results of the study may underestimate the actual number of spouse abuse.
Military spouses who were abused by Service members may be reluctant to report the abuse due to the possible adverse effects on the Service members (e.g., loss of benefit); therefore, the rate of spouse abuse recidivism by Service members might be underestimated.
The participants were classified as White, non-White, Black, and non-Black, so it is unclear how people from other race/ethnicity groups performed.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine possible reasons that recurrence of spouse abuse peaks at two months after the initial incident
Investigate other factors that may potentially influence the recidivism of spouse abuse
Compare the risk factors for mild and severe spouse abuse
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Recidivism by spouse abusers was investigated using records of offenders in the U.S. Army Central Registry. Recidivism by gender and military status (active-duty or civilian spouse) was compared over a 70-month period. Between fiscal years 1989-1997, 48,330 offenders were identified in initial and recidivist incidents. Recidivism was analyzed by means of a Cox proportional hazard rate model, controlling for age, race, number of dependents, education, and substance abuse. Two different sets of survival curves were obtained: (a) Men were much more likely than women to have a recurrence and (b) within gender, civilians were more likely to have a recurrence than were active-duty military personnel. At 70 months, 30% of the male civilian offenders and 27% of the male active-duty offenders had committed a subsequent spouse abuse incident compared with 20% of the female civilian offenders and 18% of the female active-duty offenders, controlling for other variables.
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